Try a Little Tenderness
by AudreyDeux
Summary: Miranda is having a bad day; Andy wants to help her relax.


In the process of working on another story, this idea came to me. I believe this is the reason why I have a hard time finishing things. *sigh* In any event, this one IS finished so here you go! I hope y'all enjoy! And when you're finished leave me a little love in any form you see fit, please & thank you!

It had been a hellish day for the staff at Runway. The photos from a re-shoot had been lost, the morning run-through had been such a disaster that Miranda had verbally eviscerated the offending employees. Over the course of the day, Miranda had fired 2 people and another 2 had quit. It was now past 9 o'clock at night and the editor showed no signs of stopping. Emily had been granted amnesty and allowed to go home. Andy remained faithfully at Miranda's side, running just as ragged as the editor was running herself. After Miranda had dismissed another member of the art department (Andy was surprised that any of them were still standing), she entered Miranda's office and closed the door behind her. The older woman's shoulders were tense as she was hunched over her desk. At the sound of her door closing, she looked up at Andy and sighed. She allowed her icy mask to fall away, her eyes were tired and her brow furrowed. Bringing her elbows up to rest on the desk, Miranda removed her glasses and covered her eyes with her hands. Andy walked up to her desk and pulled her hands away from her face and held them in her own.

"Come on. That's enough for today; let's leave. We can deal with the rest of this in the morning." Andy tried to gently direct her.

Miranda shook her head. "I can't. You know as well as I do that a new day brings a new disaster. This has to be finished tonight. You can go, if you'd like. I'll be alright." Her voice was weary.

"Miranda..." Andy's voice was sweet with a slight edge to it.

"No." Miranda's tone begged finality, but Andy was undeterred. A year ago, she would have fled from the office as fast as her little legs would carry her but now she had a little more clout with the editor. She would not take 'no' for an answer anymore.

"Fine." Andrea, still with Miranda's hand clasped in her own, pulled on the editor's arm in an attempt to remove her from her chair. It required a little force as the woman was putting up quite a bit of resistance. After one last firm tug, Miranda was on her feet and trailing behind Andy, their hands still linked. The young woman was leading them to a far corner of the room where a seating area was located.

"Sit down." Andrea ordered.

"What?" Miranda questioned.

"Sit down on the couch." Andy gestured towards the plush upholstered furniture.

"Andrea, we don't have time for this." Miranda sighed, barely disguising her irritation.

"We don't have time for anything ever so that's not a good enough excuse." Andy subtly sassed, then added "Please just sit down. For me." Her tone had a slight pleading quality to it.

"Well, alright" Miranda softened a bit, "but whatever this is better take 10 minutes or less." Miranda did as she was told and Andy took a seat next to her. The young woman then reached down, grabbed Miranda's ankles and swung her feet in her lap.

"Andrea, what are you doi-?" She was cut off before she could finish.

" _Shhhh. Relax, baby._ You work too hard and too much and you're in rare form today. I want to help you but I've exhausted all other options. It's just a little break. Please let me do this for you." Andy's big brown eyes were always the fashion editor's weakness. She couldn't deny her lover anything when she managed to look like kicked puppy. Miranda nodded her consent and allowed Andy to slip her heels from her feet.

Andy began kneading Miranda's stocking clad feet, applying pressure on particular areas of the soles of her feet. Her ministrations had the desired effect as Miranda began to visibly relax and recline against the arm of the couch. They didn't speak, the silence between them comfortable.

After a while, Andy noticed that Miranda had dozed off. Discontinuing the attention she was paying to her feet, Andy moved to the side of the couch, kneeling in front of the older woman and pushing her trademark forelock off of her forehead. The gentle kiss that she placed there caused Miranda's eyelids to flutter open and a soft smile graced her lips as she was greeted by the face of her beloved.

"Hi." Miranda said sweetly, running her fingers through Andrea's hair.

"Hey there, Snow White." Andrea chuckled lightly.

"Since I seemed to have been awoken from the spell of exhaustion by your kiss, I suppose that's accurate. Does that make you my Prince Charming?" Miranda's smile grew bigger.

"I'm happy being anything as long as it's yours." Andy said before gently covering Miranda's lips with her own. They shared a few more chaste pecks before pulling back and simply gazing into one another's eyes. Andrea's face broke out into a beaming smile under the weight of the moment.

"Oh, my sweet girl. No matter how bad my day is, when you smile you make everything all right. What did I do to deserve you?" Miranda inquired softly as she dragged her knuckles down Andy's cheek.

"Miranda, _you_ are the reason for my smile. Even on the days where you're at your most...temperamental", they shared a laugh, "I'm still so grateful to be with you. This is the best thing that could have happened to me and I wouldn't want it any other way. _I'm_ the lucky one." Andy's eyes held such honesty and Miranda blushed.

"You make me feel so special. I don't always know how to convey that to you but -" Miranda stated, Andy shook her head, effectively silencing her.

"I know, Miranda. I know. Don't worry about it. Let's just enjoy this moment a little more, okay? Would it be alright if I held you?" Andy implored.

"Yes, of course, my angel." Miranda complied in hushed tones. She made room for Andy to join her on the couch. They lay facing one another, arms wrapped around waists and legs entangled. Miranda had her face tucked into the crook of Andy's neck, inhaling her scent. As long as they were with each other, they were home.

After a few moments, Andy hated to break the peaceful calm that had surrounded them but it had to be done.

"Miranda?" She spoke gently. "Sweetheart, our break is over. We have to get up otherwise we'll never leave."

The older woman groaned, then in an adorably sleepy voice that was muffled against Andy's skin, said, "Five more minutes, please." She snuggled more deeply into Andy and pulled their bodies closer together, a clear sign of her contentment.

The young woman simply smiled and placed a gentle kiss on a crown of white hair. The dragon had been slain and Prince charming was finally granted a little serenity. Until tomorrow's crisis, of course.


End file.
